Politico: “In his first days as a presidential candidate in the state where he’s leading in the polls, Walker showed the consistency and attention to detail that propelled him to 12 victories back home — including three statewide wins. He sported the same campaign trail uniform (a blue-and-white checked, collared shirt, jeans and belt), and used the same prop (a rumpled dollar bill pulled from his pocket). He told the same anecdote about his thriftiness that’s become his signature (his shopping habits at retailer Kohl’s) and quoted whole paragraphs of his announcement speech from last Monday, almost word for word.”
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Campaigns Just Got Very Expensive
Wall Street Journal: “Some Republican presidential candidates could be in for sticker shock… The expanding roles of super PACs and a condensed nominating calendar are fundamentally transforming the way the 2016 primary campaign will be conducted. Gone are the days when campaigns could just scrape together enough money to advertise in Iowa and New Hampshire, counting on an early victory to spur an infusion of fresh contributions.”
Pope’s Visit May Be Uncomfortable for Republicans
New York Times: “When Pope Francis comes to Capitol Hill in September, he will be the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of Congress, where more than 30 percent of the members are Catholic. The visit will fulfill a long-held dream of Mr. Boehner, who says only his working-class roots as a bar owner’s son are more essential to his core than his Catholic upbringing. He has extended offers to popes for the last 20 years, and Francis, after taking nearly a year to consider, was the first to accept.”
“The pope’s visit comes with inherent tension for many Republicans, including those who are Catholic. While he has made no changes in church doctrine, Francis has forcefully staked out ideological ground opposite that of Mr. Boehner and his party. He has excoriated the excesses of capitalism as the “dung of the devil,” pleaded for action to stop global warming and enthusiastically supported the new nuclear accord with Iran.”
Trump Is Running a Unique Campaign
The New York Times looks at possible fallout from Donald Trump’s comments over the weekend about why Sen. John McCain is considered a war hero.
“It was an improvised fit of pique, roundly and vigorously denounced by his rivals all weekend, that exposed the biggest vulnerability of Mr. Trump’s campaign for president: It is built entirely around the instincts and grievances of its unpredictable candidate — and does not rely on a conventional political operation that protects presidential hopefuls from themselves.”
“It remains to be seen whether Mr. Trump’s standing in public opinion surveys will suffer from the episode with Mr. McCain. But recent national and early-primary state polls put Mr. Trump in the top tier of candidates. If nothing else, the weekend reaffirmed that Mr. Trump is running a presidential campaign on his own unique terms.”
Dan Balz: “Trump has benefited from being cast as a not-quite-serious presidential candidate, which has allowed him to carry on as he has.”
Editorial Calls Mark Kirk Unhinged
The Southern Illinoisan eviscerates Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) in an editorial:
“Mark Kirk suddenly has more in common with your unhinged uncle than a deliberative member of the U.S. Senate… Illinoisans thought they elected a center-right fiscal conservative. They instead got the love child of Michele Bachmann and Ted Cruz, a man more concerned with making a name within his party’s fringe than representing his constituents.”
Sanders Draws Largest Crowd Yet
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) “drew more than 11,000 people to a rally Saturday night in downtown Phoenix — the largest crowd to date for a presidential candidate whose audiences have been swelling in recent months,” the Washington Post reports.
Said Sanders: “Somebody told me people are giving up on the political process. Not what I see here tonight.”
Trump Quote of the Day
“No, not at all… Very importantly, I got a standing ovation, the biggest ovation they had all weekend, by far. When I left the room, it was a total standing ovation. It was wonderful to see. Nobody was insulted…. I’m very disappointed in John McCain because the vets are horribly treated in this country.”
— Donald Trump, quoted by Politico, saying he does not owe McCain an apology for saying he’s only a war hero because he was captured.
Walker Doesn’t Know If Being Gay is a Choice
Gov. Scott Walker (R) said he is not sure if homosexuality is a choice, The Hill reports.
Said Walker: “I don’t know the answer to that question. That’s not even an issue for me to be involved in. I don’t have an opinion on every single issue out there.”
He added: “I am going to spend my time focusing on the issues I do know and can work on.”
Quote of the Day
“I believe that scouting would be better off, if they didn’t have openly gay scoutmasters.”
— Rick Perry, in an interview with NBC News.
Many GOP Donors Still on Sidelines
“Despite a wealth of choices in a crowded primary field, the vast majority of high-level Republican donors and fund-raisers have not yet backed any candidate financially, magnifying the importance of the coming debates as the presidential hopefuls seek to impress potential backers,” the New York Times reports.
“Only about a fifth of the 1,000 or so fund-raisers and their spouses who rallied around Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee in 2012, have given money to any of the 2016 candidates… Those who remain uncommitted — hundreds of volunteer ‘bundlers’ who could collect contributions from their friends and business associates — represent a huge pool of untapped campaign cash, potentially hundreds of millions of dollars, that could remake the primary campaign.”
Beginning of the End for Trump?
Donald Trump’s “surge in the polls has followed the classic pattern of a media-driven surge. Now it will likely follow the classic pattern of a party-backed decline,” Nate Cohn writes.
“Mr. Trump’s candidacy probably reached an inflection point on Saturday after he essentially criticized John McCain for being captured during the Vietnam War. Republican campaigns and elites quickly moved to condemn his comments — a shift that will probably mark the moment when Trump’s candidacy went from boom to bust.”
“His support will erode as the tone of coverage shifts from publicizing his anti-establishment and anti-immigration views, which have some resonance in the party, to reflecting the chorus of Republican criticism of his most outrageous comments and the more liberal elements of his record.”
Weekly Standard: “Donald Trump confirmed two things during a stop in this central Iowa town Saturday: He has no class and he may well run as an independent when he does not win the Republican nomination.”
Biden Still Mulling White House Bid
Vice President Joe Biden “is still very much considering a bid for the White House, people close to Biden say, and will make a final decision at the end of the summer, targeted for September,” the Huffington Post reports.
“The Iowa caucuses are scheduled for early February, meaning Biden would have roughly four months to barnstorm the first-in-the-nation state before the contest turned to New Hampshire.”
Romney and Trump Feud
“The difference between Sen. John McCain and Donald Trump: Trump shot himself down. McCain and American veterans are true heroes.”
— Mitt Romney, on Twitter, responding to Trump’s comment that McCain isn’t a war hero because he was captured.
“Why would anybody listen to Mitt Romney? He lost an election that should have easily been won against Obama. By the way, so did John McCain!”
— Donald Trump, on Twitter.
Bonus Trump Quote of the Day
“If I do something wrong, I try to do something right. I don’t bring God into that picture.”
— Donald Trump, quoted by the New York Times, struggling to answer if he had ever sought forgiveness from God.
Franklin Graham Urges Halt to Muslim Immigration
In the aftermath of shootings in Chattanooga which killed four Marines, Franklin Graham urged in a Facebook post for a halt to all Muslims coming into the United States.
Wrote Graham: “Every Muslim that comes into this country has the potential to be radicalized–and they do their killing to honor their religion and Muhammad. During World War 2, we didn’t allow Japanese to immigrate to America, nor did we allow Germans. Why are we allowing Muslims now?”
Trump Won’t Apologize for McCain Comment
If you think Donald Trump should apologize for his comments on Sen. John McCain’s military service, you’ll be disappointed with his latest Facebook post.
Wrote Trump: “I have great respect for all those who serve in our military including those that weren’t captured and are also heroes.”
If you think this incident will derail his campaign, read the comments below his post.
Trump Quote of the Day
“He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”
— Donald Trump, quoted by the Weekly Standard, arguing that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is not a war hero.
Quote of the Day
“If you want to ask me again, I’ll give you the same answer 50 more times. So if you want to waste your time on that question, go ahead.”
— Gov. Scott Walker (R), quoted by the Wall Street Journal, refusing to answer any question about Donald Trump.
